“Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed.”
(Genesis 3:15, NKJV)
y father, a dance-band leader, did things on his own schedule. For two years the band families traveled from coast to coast for music bookings. One Christmas, Dad’s band was in Chicago at the Palmer House—a grand old hotel. As the bandleader, Dad was given a beautiful suite. Alas, the other bandsmen had to fend for themselves in low-cost motels. My four-year-old sister, Peggy, and I, a boy of six, were Christmas giddy when our mom finally got us to sleep that Christmas Eve.
But about three in the morning, Dad finally came home showing lots of “Christmas cheer.” He had finished the show in the ballroom sometime earlier, but then stayed to drink and jam. He knew he needed to sleep in, so he decided that we needed to get up.
Against the pleas of Mom, Dad decided to wake us up to open gifts. At three in the morning.
For me there were several toy trucks (metal in those days) as well as a red Firestone bicycle—one far too large for me, “But Ronnie will grow into it,” my dad told Mom. For Peggy, I recall there was a tricycle.
Once the wonderful toys were opened, Dad said, “OK, kids. To bed!”
To bed?
With wrapping paper and ribbon slung across the big room and grand toys everywhere?
“Yes! To bed. Your dad needs to get some sleep before a Christmas concert tomorrow.”
Can you imagine it?
We dutifully went into our room and waited until we thought Dad was sleeping. Then we snuck back into the grand room.
Guess what? Kids cannot play with new Christmas toys quietly!
We were yelled at. We even got a swat or two. But we kept slipping out of the room.
Children cannot ignore wonderful gifts.
Nor may we ignore the wonderful gift of Christmas joy!
One day the Seed of the woman would be born.
One day our salvation would be secured.
One day the crucified One would rise again.
God’s gifts cannot be ignored—by any of us, no matter how old we are, or what time it may be.